The Talk
by evil-jeannie75
Summary: Sequel to The Dream. Lana and Dr. Jackson learn of Peter's predicament and try to help. Chapter Five is up!
1. Chapter One

The Talk

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights or the characters associated with Strong Medicine.

At the R.W.H.C…..

Peter was looking for Lu. He wanted to tell her that he had thought of the perfect proposal. "Lu. Lu, wait up!" he said as he ran up to her.

"What's up?" Lu asks as she is heading towards Lana's desk.

"I figured it out."

"What?"

"The perfect proposal."

"Okay?" Lu had no idea what he was talking about.

"Come here." Peter dragged Lu into the storage room far away from Lana. He knew that if she heard that Peter was going to propose to Kayla, the entire hospital would know before she did.

"Peter, what's going on?"

"I finally figured out how I am going to propose to Kayla. Well, not how, but now I know what I'm going to say at least."

"Peter, that's great," Lu said. "When did you decide to propose to Kayla? Do you even have a ring yet?"

"I bought the ring about three months ago and I've known for a while now."

"And you're just getting around to proposing now?"

"Well, I couldn't think of what to say. But all that doesn't matter now. I've got it and it's perfect. You wanna read it?"

"Let me see the ring first," Lu said. Lu couldn't believe that Peter was going to propose. She never thought that he would ever get married. He was always to much of a bachelor.

Peter took the ring out of his pocket and showed it to Lu. "So what do you think? Pretty good, huh?"

Lu looked at the ring. It was absolutely gorgeous. "Peter, this is so beautiful. Kayla is going to love it."

"Thank you."

"How have you been getting this around? I mean the two of you live together, right? How is it that she hasn't seen it?"

"Easy. It goes everywhere with me." It was true, Peter was never without the ring. It went to the hospital, the wildlife park, the gym, and the grocery store. That ring has more miles on it then his bike and his bike has a lot of miles on it.

"What are you going to say?"

"Well, like I told you, I already have all of that taken care of. I wrote it on a dollar bill."

"Really?" Lu said in surprise. "Do I want to know why?"

"I ran out of paper and had to write it on something. What I wrote it on doesn't matter. I want you to read it and tell me what you think." He rummages around in his pockets and takes out a bill and hands it to Lu.

"Did you write it in invisible ink?" Lu asked.

"What?"

"There's nothing on it," Lu said. She showed Peter the face and the turned it over and showed him the back.

"Oh, I must have given you the wrong bill." Peter gave Lu another bill. "Try that one."

Lu shook her head, "Nothing."

'This can't be happening,' Peter thought. He took out all of the money that was in his pockets. No proposal. "Shit!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"I lost the bill. I can't find it. It's gone," Peter said. He slapped the table, "Damnit! It took me three months to come up with that."

"Okay, Peter. Calm down," Lu said calmly. "When was the last time you saw the bill?"

"I don't know…..at the diner? I finished writing it and stuck it in my pocket."

"And?"

"And I went to pay at the register. I went back to the table and left the waitress a tip." Peter thought for a moment. "Shit! I left a few dollars for the waitress. I must have left it on the table."

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	2. Chapter Two

The Talk

Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights or the characters associated with Strong Medicine.

Across the street at Mike's Diner, Kayla and Andy had just finished lunch and were talking. "So how are things between you and Peter?" Andy asked.

"Things are good," Kayla said. She smiled to herself. "Really good."

"The two of you have been spending an awful lot of time together," Andy said sounding like a mother. She couldn't help it. Kayla was like one of her children.

"I know. I know. I can't help it," Kayla said. "He makes me feel so happy."

"Do you love him?"

"I think I do?"

"I mean are you in love with him?"

"I am," Kayla said without even having to think about it. "That's the first time that I've ever said that a loud….to someone other than Peter I mean."

"So do you think that you're going to marry him?"

"It's too early to tell. I'd like to, but you know Peter, he's not exactly the marrying kind."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Andy, this is the longest relationship that he's ever been in. He's never even lived with a woman. It's like he's been completely avoided any sort of commitment all his life. He's had plenty of chances. What makes you think that he's suddenly going to decide that he wants to get married?"

"Has he told you that he loves you?"

"Yes he has," Kayla smiled. A lot.

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I'm afraid that he's going to get scared and run away or worse he's going to decide that he doesn't love me anymore and leave."

"He wouldn't do that."

"I know. It's just that that thought is always in the back of my mind."

"Has it ever occurred to you that you are the first woman that Peter has ever been in love with?"

"Come on Andy, he's dated half of the women in the hospital. With all of the women that he's been with, how is it possible that he's never been in love? Or better yet, how is it possible that he picks me, the small town farm girl who's only been as far as Philadelphia when he's so worldly?"

Andy smiled, "The heart works in mysterious ways." What Kayla was saying was true, That the odds were against them, but from the moment that she stepped foot in the hospital, Andy could tell that they had a special connection. It was also very obvious early on how they felt about each other.

"Come on, Andy. I'm being serious."

"Alright, let me ask you a question. Have you ever been in love?"

"Before Peter?"

"Yes. Before Peter?"

"Well, I thought I was in love with Jamar, my ex-boyfriend, but I really wasn't."

"How do you know?"

"Because what I feel for Peter is so much stronger. It's almost like we're the same person. He just looks at me and I melt. And I imagine what our lives are going to be like five, ten, twenty years from now. With Jamar, I think I got up to about two years and then I blanked. " Kayla smiled, "What I feel for Peter is nothing like what I felt for Jamar."

"Well, that's good," Andy said.

Kayla smiled, "Yeah, it is. It's great actually. I've never been happier."

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I'm just not sure he's ready to commit."

"Have you spoken to him about it?"

"Not really. No."

"Well, I suggest you do so and soon. For all you know, he may be ready to propose and is just waiting for a sign that you are ready to accept."

"You're right, Andy," Kayla said." I will talk to him. I promise. I just wish I knew what was going through his mind."

"I know you do," Andy said. "But that's not what love is about. Love is about unpredictability and surprises. It's supposed to be exciting. If you knew what was going to happen in advance what would be the fun it that? Besides, that's exactly what you have with Peter."

"Yeah, he is great, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. I swear to you if I were ten years younger….." Andy stopped. She decided that it was probably best not to finish that sentence.

"If you were ten years younger, you'd what?"

"Honestly? I'd probably kill him. I'm way to conservative. I'm a military brat remember. Our personalities wouldn't click and we'd be at each others throats. Kind of like me and my ex-husband. I am way too conservative for Peter. Plus, I think that I scare him."

Kayla laughed, "I wouldn't say that you scare him. It's more like you keep him on hos feet."

"You mean I scare the crap out of him."

"Yeah that's pretty much it," Kayla laughed.

"God, he still calls me Dr. Campbell. Even when we're all of duty, it's still Dr. Campbell. Am I really that bad?"

"No, Peter is just respectful, that's all. And so is Lana and so are the other doctors." Kayla realized that she wasn't helping.

"I'll tell you one thing though. I have definitely calmed down. I am nothing compared to what I was ten years ago. I was very strict and very disciplined. I'm a lot calmer now."

"Sure you are," Kayla said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"I have."

"Okay, Dr. Campbell, whatever you say."

"Cut it with the Dr. Campbell crap. We're at lunch. Now, getting back to our original conversation, Peter is definitely out of the question. Now, Biancavilla on the other hand, I would consider."

"What about Dr. Morton?"

Andy looked down at her plate her cheeks turning pink. "You know, I think that it's time for us to be getting back to the hospital. What do you think?"

Kayla looked at the clock. "I think that we have a little time left."

"Well, I have some work to do before I have to go back on duty." She began totaling up what they owed.

"So wait, you had me talking about Peter for like an hour and you're not going to even give me a little tidbit of information about Milo?"

"That's pretty much the plan," Andy said. "Okay, you owe 7.25 plus one dollar for a tip."

"Alright," Kayla said. They gathered their things and headed over to the register. "Not even a little, tiny, baby tidbit?"

"Not even a baby one," Andy said. "Remember to talk to Peter."

Kayla couldn't believe it. Andy was refusing to even give her a tiny bit of information about Milo, but she was still giving her advice about Peter. "You are unbelievable."

"Kayla," Andy said sternly sounding like a mother again.

"Yes, Mom," Kayla said. "I'll talk to him tonight."

Andy laughed, "Good, let me know how it goes tonight."

"Well, if it goes really well tonight, I might have to let you know tomorrow."

"Haven't you heard of a phone?" Kayla gave her a look. "Okay. Okay. I can wait until tomorrow. I still have some discipline in me."

Kayla laughed. Andy paid her bill. While Kayla was paying hers, Andy was checking her change. She noticed that one of the dollar bills that she had gotten had all scribbling all over it. "I hate it when people do this. They should arrest people who deface money."

"Yeah, you have defiantly lightened up," Kayla laughed.

Andy walked towards the register. "Where are you going?" Kayla asked.

"I'm going to exchange this and tell the cashier that he'd better do a better jo of watching his money."

"I thought you had work to do," Kayla said.

"It's just going to take a minute."

"Andy, you want to be able to eat here again right?" Andy nodded. "Give me the bill." Kayla pulled out her wallet and took out a nice, clean, crisp dollar bill and handed it to Andy. She then took the bill that Andy had received from the cashier. "Feel better now?"

Kayla wondered what could be so bad about the dollar. She looked at the front of the bill. "Oh, my God."

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	3. Chapter Three

The Talk

Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights or the characters associated with Strong Medicine.

Kayla stared at the dollar bill in disbelief. "Oh my God," she said. She read the writing on the bill again just to make sure she was reading it right. "Oh my God."

Andy looked at Kayla with concern. "Kayla, what's wrong?"

Kayla looked around her trying to see if Peter was anywhere around. "Andy, do you see Peter anywhere around?"

Andy looked around the diner. "Nope. I don't see him. Why? Is he supposed to be here?"

Kayla couldn't get words out. She was in shock. "He…he…." She hands the bill to Andy.

"Oh my God," Andy said. She read the writing on the bill again. "This is a marriage proposal."

Kayla had pulled herself together enough to drag Andy out of the diner. She pulled Andy by her arm away from the diner. "Yes, I know it's a marriage proposal."

"Is he really going to propose?"

"I guess so," Kayla said. She really didn't know what to think. She really loved Peter, but she didn't want to get her hopes up and make something out of nothing.

"How do you feel about all of this?"

"I don't know really. I mean…I can't believe he's going to propose." Kayla had no idea how she was feeling. She was happy, excited, nervous, anxious, and a little scared all at the same time. Suddenly, she smiled.

"You're going to say yes, aren't you?" Andy said in realization.

"If he asks, I will."

"What do you mean, if he asks? He's going to ask. He's already written out the proposal."

"Just because he's written it out doesn't mean that he's going to propose. He could be waiting for the perfect moment or until he gets the ring. It could just be a writing exercise like on Everybody Loves Raymond. You remember when he wrote out all of those eulogies just to see if he could do it? Maybe he's trying to decide if he's going to propose and wrote it out as a just-in-case thing?" Kayla held up the bill. "This doesn't mean anything."

"What do you mean it doesn't mean anything?" Andy said in exasperation. "Kayla, he's going to propose. Men don't just write out marriage proposals if they are not planning on proposing."

"I know," Kayla grinned wanting to jump up and down in excitement.

"Of course, I'm happy about this," Kayla said. She couldn't stop smiling. "He wants to marry me, Andy. I never thought that he would ever even give it a thought and he has." She couldn't believe this was happening. Kayla couldn't believe this was happening. She was so happy. Suddenly, her face fell. "What if he changes his mind?"

"He won't change his mind," Andy said. 'He better not,' Andy thought, 'or I'll kick his ass.'

"Well, what am I supposed to do when I see him? Am I supposed to hand him the bill and say 'I think you left this at the diner. By the way, I'd like my proposal now?' Am I supposed to pretend like I never saw it and act normal? How am I supposed to act normal when the man I love is going to propose to me?"

"You want my advice?" Andy asked concerned for the young doctor.

"Am I just talking to here myself speak?" Kayla snapped immediately regretting the words that had come out of her mouth. "I'm sorry, Andy. I'm just a little stressed. My period's late, I haven't been sleeping much, I'm worried about losing Peter, and now this whole proposal thing. It's just….it's a lot, you know?"

"You think you're pregnant?"

"Maybe….I don't know. I mean I've been late before, but not this late."

"How late are you?"

"Two months."

"You're two months late? Why did you wait so long?"

"Because I've missed a month before and have gotten it the next month. I'm two months late, Andy. I've never been two months late. What am I doing to do?"

"Have you taken a test yet?"

"No, I haven't. I've been too scared to. I've been hoping that it would come, but it hasn't. What am I going to do?

"The first thing that you're going to do is take a test." Andy took Kayla's arm. "Come on, let's go to the hospital. I'll give you the test. We'll wait for the results. And then you'll know for sure."

"You can't do it at the hospital. My name will be on the chart and everyone will find out."

"I can put it down as anonymous. No one will have to know."

"Andy, you can't do that. If you that everyone will get suspicious. What id Peter sees the results? He's going to freak."

"Is Peter the father?"

"Of course he is."

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I don't think he wants children and if he finds out that I'm pregnant, he'll leave."

"Peter loves kids and he's great with them."

"He loves them when you can send them home to their parents. Come on, all of his volunteering and mentoring and activism….what's going to happen to all of that? He's going to have to give it all up. That's not fair to him."

"What about you Kayla? What about how your life is going to change when you have this baby? It's not fair for him to expect you to give everything up...and Peter is not like that. He will stay by you no matter what. He's not going to leave you. If anything, the proposal solidifies his love for you. He loves you, Kayla. He wants to spend the rest of his life with you. I would imagine that would include a family."

"Andy, you're right. I know. I'm just scared…that's all."

"I know you are, but you could be getting all worked up over nothing."

"What are you talking about?"

"You said that you've been under a lot of stress, right? Did it ever occur to you that the reason that you've missed your period it stress?"

"I don't know…maybe?"

"Maybe you should go take a test?"

"I'll go to the drug store and buy one of those at-home pregnancy tests and I'll take it at home."

"Kayla, you're a doctor. You know how accurate those things are. The best thing for you to do is to come to the hospital and let me give you a test. You won't have to wait very long for the results and that way, you'll know for sure."

"What about Peter?"

"You really should tell him, but if you want to wait until you're sure, that's fine…..and don't tell him about the proposal. You'll only freak him out more."

"Thanks Andy," Kayla said sarcastically.

"What I mean is that you don't want to push him……I mean a baby and a marriage proposal is a lot at one time…..I mean, let's go to the hospital and I'll give you the test."

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	4. Chapter Four

The Talk

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights or the characters associated with Strong Medicine.

At the R.W.H.C…..

"Lu what am I going to do? Everything was on that bill and now it's gone," Peter said. He couldn't believe this was happening. First, he comes up with the most amazong proposal ever and then he loses it.

"Why did you write it on there anyway?" she slapped him on the back of the head. "You didn't think that you would lose it? You know, use it to pay for something?"

"No," Peter said.

"No? That's great Peter," Lu said. 'What an idiot!' "Do you remember anything that you wrote?"

Peter sat down and tried to remember the words he wrote only an hour or two ago. He ran his fingers through his hair, "It's all a blank. I can't remember anything."

Lu felt bad for him. "Maybe it's not gone."

"What?"

"Okay. You said that you only lost it an hour or two ago, right?"

"Yeah."

"So come on. It's not lunch time. There aren't a lot of customers. What makes you think that they've given it out?"

"I left it on the table for a tip."

"Who was the waitress?"

"Tina."

"Tinam" Lu said nodding her head. "Tina who demands crisp new bills up front. Tina who refuses to clean the tables because she doesn't want to get dirty."

"Yeah, so?"

"How many times have we seen her go up to the register and exchange bill because they were either dirty I wrinkled or ripped?"

"Okay, what's your point?"

"My point is that the bill is probably in the register," Lu said. She grabbed Peter's hand and pulled him to this feet. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"The diner."

"Come on, Lu. It's probably gone by now."

"You want to marry her, don't you?"

"Of course I want to marry her. I love her more than anything in the world."

"Then, do this. What could it hurt?"

"What am I supposed to do? Go in and say give your money?"

"See, you're thinking, right."

"I don't know, Lu," Peter said. Just then Kayla walked into the clinic with Andy. Kayla saw him and smiled. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he said brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face.

"How was your lunch?"

"Good," Peter said looking at Lu hoping that Kayla wouldn't figure out that something was wrong.

"That's good."

"Yeah."

Andy cleared her throat. "I hate to interupt, but Kayla we need to go finish the thing."

"Look, I have to go to something with Andy," Kayla said apologetically. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Peter on the lips. "I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight."

"Bye," Kayla said before walking away.

"Bye," Peter said as he watched Kayla walk away. Peter grabbed Lu's hand, "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"The diner."

As they ran out of the hospital, Lu said laughing, "This is so exciting."

At the diner...

As soon as Lu and Peter got into the diner, they headed directly for the register. "Do you have any dollar bills?" Peter asked.

"What?" Joe asked.

"Do you have any dollar bills?"

"This is a diner."

"What does that mean 'this is a diner'?" Lu asked exasperatly. "Do you have any dollar bills or not?"

"Of course we have dollar bills," Joe said snottily.

"Good, let me see them," Lu said.

"What? Why?"

Just as Peter was about to explain, Lu decided that she was going to expedite the situation, "Look, we don't want to take any. We just want to see them. Now open up!"

The cashier opened he register and took out all of the dollar bills. Lu looked at the two large stacks and proceeded to go through each one bill by bill back and front. She went through them twice and found nothing. "Peter, it's not here."

"What? No it has to be here!" Peter took the stacks of bills and went through them three times carefully scrutenizing each one.

"Peter, it's not there," Lu said again.

"You're right. You're right." Peter handed the stacks of bills back to the cashier. "Thanks for your help."

As Peter and Lu were about to leave the diner, Peter saw the waitress who took care of him at lunch. He ran over to her, "Tina, I need your help. I was here earlier. Do you remember me?"

"Yeah. Tuna salad on rye with a side caerar salad. Sat here for like two hours and left a horrible tip," the gum-chewing watiress said.

"Good. You remember me," Peter said. Maybe there was hope after all. "I need to see your tips. Specifically, the one that I left you."

"You mean the dollar bill with all the scribbling on it?"

"You remember it?" Peter asked hopefully. Maybe she still had it?

"Yeah."

"Do you still have it?"

"No, I gave it to Joe in exchange for a new one. You know, you really should keep better track of your money."

"Tina, it was a special bill."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that.," Tina said trying to sound apologetic. "Did I help?"

"You were a big help. Thanks," Peter said his voice dripping with sarcasm and annoyance.

"You're welcome," Tina said with a tone of fake cheefulness. She made a mental note to spit in his food the next time he was in."

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	5. Chapter Five

The Talk

Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights or the characters associated with Strong Medicine.

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Peter and Lu walked dejectedly back to Rittenhouse. "I can't believe I lost that bill. What am I gonna do?" Peter said.

"You'll think of something. Don't worry," Lu said rubbing his back. "It's not like you have to propose tonight."

"I know, but it was absolutely perfect."

"I know it was," Lu said. "Think about this though, now you have more time to come up with an even better one."

"You're right, Lu. I know. It's just that Kayla deserves the world. I figured if I could at least give her a good proposal, you know something that she was going to remember for the rest of her life, that would make up for all of the other stuff that I couldn't give her."

They walked into Rittenhouse and passed Lana's desk, each in their own world. Peter was thinking about how he was going to rewrite his proposal for Kayla and Lu was thinking about how she was going to help her friend.

"Hey guys, what's wrong?" Lana said noticing the mopey faces on her two companions. "Why the sad faces?"

"Peter lost a bill and we went to the diner to find if and it's gone," Lu explained.

"Was it a public service bill, cable bill, or telephone bill? Because you know that if you call them up and tell them that you lost the bill, they'll send you another one. Or you could do what little old Lana does when she's strapped for cast and call them up the day before the bill is due and tell them that you never received it. They will send you a new one and you don't have to pay interest."

"Oh, that's real good Miss Hawkins. A wonderful example to set for out younger staff members," Dr. Jackson said walking over to Lana's desk.

"Ah, Dr. Jackson, lovely to see you. Glad you decided to mingle with us common folk today," Lana said.

"I'm actually looking for Dr. Campbell," Dr. Jackson explained. "Is she around here anywhere?"

"Nope, she should be in her office."

"You know, Peter, you shouldn't let those bills pile up. The interest can kill you," Dr. Jackson said in a fatherly tone. "Now, if you don't have the money to pay right now, call for a change of address. Tell them that you haven't been receiving your mail because the address is in the incorrect format and your postal carrier refuses to deliver it. They will change your address an won't charge you the interest and the fee that you would be paying had you sent the payment in late."

"Mmm hmm?" Lana looked at Dr. Jackson accusingly.

"What? How do you think I got through med school?" Dr. Jackson said in defense of himself.

"Did I say anything? I don't think I said anything? Did you guys hear me say a world?" Lana said.

"You didn't have to say anything. You just mmm hmm-ed. You don't have to say a word when you mmm hmm it's just there. Like the freaking Ice Capades or something."

"Are you alright, Dr. Jackson?" Lana asked. "You ranting and it doesn't make sense. You never rant and not make sense. What's going on?"

"It's just I haven't been sleeping and my daughter's started dating and I just…."

"Excuse me. I hate to interrupt this little pity party the two of you have going on, but we're talking about Peter here. This is about Peter," Lu said. "And while we're on the subject thank you both so much. It's really nice to know that we have such fine upstanding citizens working at this hospital."

"Well, thank you," Dr. Jackson said smiling. "I do try."

"Look, it wasn't a cable bill or a telephone bill or a credit card bill, it was a dollar bill," Lu explained. "Peter lost a dollar bill!"

Dr. Jackson turned to Peter. "You're getting this worked up over a dollar bill?"

"It's not the fact that it's a dollar bill, it's what was written on it," Lu said in annoyance. "The dollar bill had a marriage proposal on it.:

"Peter, you're going to propose?" Lana exclaimed.

Peter in the mean time was sitting on a stool staring off into space. "What?"

"You're going to propose to Kayla?" Lana asked.

"Yeah."

"That's wonderful. Let me see the ring," Lana said getting serious.

"Guys, we're in the middle of a hospital with a better communications system than the F.B.I," Lu said looking pointedly at Dr. Jackson and Lana.

"What are you looking at me for?" Dr. Jackson asked. "She's the one with the big mouth."

"Excuse me?" Lana put her hand on her hip. "Now I know you didn't just say what I think you said."

"Oh, come on Dr. Jackson, don't think I don't know that you and Andy don't gossip back and forth because you do. We all know that you do so don't try and hide it."

"I actually didn't know that," Peter said.

"What is your point exactly, Dr. Delgado?" Dr. Jackson asked folding his arms over his chest.

"My point is that here in the middle of the hospital at Lana's desk, the "Gossip Centre" of Rittenhouse is not exactly the best place to go pulling out rings. Got it?"

"You are absolutely right, Dr. Delgado. Here would be a terrible place to have this discussion. You're office on the other hand is perfect."

"Oh, God. I'm working with morons. That has to be it," Lu said following Dr. Jackson and Lana to her office. She dragged Peter with her

"Come on, Peter, if I have to go through this so do you."

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* * *

I know it's been a while guys and I'm really sorry. I had a case of serious writer's block when it came to this story, but I'm working through it. Hope to have another chapter for you soon and just so you know, "the proposal" is already written. 


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